1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sports training aids in general and more particularly to a baseball strength training aid.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
When a new player begins to learn how to play a ball game such as baseball, one of the fundamental requirements is to learn how to hit and catch the ball. Teaching a ball player the proper technique for swinging a bat to obtain optimal power can be a difficult task. It often requires years of practice and training with an experienced batting coach to perfect the batter's swing. Proper swing technique encompasses proper hand placement and body movement, optimal bat acceleration, and ample power to hit the ball and is of the utmost importance in playing such sports as baseball.
In batting practice, the trainer typically tosses the ball to the trainee and issues verbal instructions such as “swing” or “keep your eye on the ball”. To a new student, the proper way to execute these instructions is not always immediately clear and a long, iterative process ensues. Other utilized methods of presenting a ball to a trainee include hanging a ball by a string, placing a ball on a support, or ejecting a ball from a machine. Some trainees master these instructions quickly but in the vast majority of cases the learning process continues for an extended period before the trainee can hit the ball with a semblance of consistency.
Repeatedly pitching a ball to a trainee merely adds inconsistency to the process since the trainer loses control of the ball when it leaves his hand and is often unable to repeatedly duplicate the same pitch. The trainee has an extremely brief time to react to the pitched ball, frequently missing the ball entirely. The missed ball must then be retrieved and the trainer and trainee must then resume their positions before the lesson can be repeated. This method of training, while effective for initially teaching ball hitting, is highly inefficient in the use of time and the speed at which the trainee learns. This method also fails to effectively concentrate on teaching and learning proper batting technique. Further, as the trainee becomes more experienced, the changes necessary to optimize the batter's technique become more subtle and nuanced and are not readily identified and corrected by swinging at pitched balls.
In addition to learning to coordinate the placement of the bat during the swing to hit the ball as it crosses the plate, the advanced trainee must also learn proper form and technique to deliver optimum power to the pitched ball at the point of contact. For example, one of the factors related to being able to deliver power to the ball includes proper arm placement to prevent inadvertent extension of the leading arm during the initial-to-mid portions of a batter's swing at a baseball. Improper extension of the leading arm inhibits the twisting force of the body to not fully transmit to the bat because of the long moment-arm created by the extension, and thus failing to deliver the desired power to the ball when hit.
Hitting power is also a function of the degree of flexure of the triceps muscle. Optimal hitting power requires the triceps muscle of the leading arm to provide maximum flexing power and speed at the time the bat is beginning to pass in front of the batter's body. Thus, a great deal of the power generated in swinging a bat is based upon the timing and flexure of the batter's leading arm coordinated with a twisting of the upper torso in the direction of the swing.
Thus, what is desired is batting training aid to provide rapid feedback to a batter that indicates when the batter is utilizing proper technique for swinging a bat in order to achieve maximum bat speed and optimum power at impact with a ball.